Warriors The Forest Arising: A New Beginning
by xCrimsonfurx
Summary: StarClan cats decide to send three cats to help EarthClan, ForestClan and StormClan against NightClan, the deadly clan in the forest. When former NightClan cats over hear the plan, they send NightClan a cat that will strike fear into any cat's heart...
1. NightClan Alligiances

NightClan

**NightClan**

**Leader-** Cederstar- Longhaired brown and black tabby she-cat with a white chest and paws

**Deputy-** Darkstorm- Long legged jet black tom

Apprentice, Cinderpaw

**Medicine Cat-** Brambletooth

**Warriors**

-Graywing- Small, skinny gray she-cat with tan flecks

-Timberheart- Large longhaired brown tabby tom

Apprentice, Rainpaw

-Icefang- Longhaired silver-blue tabby tom

-Twistedtail- Fluffy dark ginger and white tabby tom with a crooked tail

Apprentice, Goldenpaw

-Snowfur- Small white she-cat

Apprentice, Laurelpaw

-Breezepelt- Pretty tortoiseshell she-cat, green eyes

Apprentice, Ashpaw

-Emberheart- Dark gray-brown tom with darker stripes

Apprentice, Blackpaw

**Apprentices**

-Cinderpaw- Huge longhaired dark brown-black tom with amber eyes

-Ashpaw- Longhaired dark brown-black she-cat with amber eyes, Cinderpaw's sister

-Rainpaw- Longhaired silver-blue tabby she-cat, Goldenpaw and Laurelpaw's sister

-Goldenpaw- Bright ginger tabby tom, Laurelpaw and Rainpaw's sister

-Laurelpaw- Small pale brown tabby she-cat, sister of Rainpaw and Goldenpaw

-Blackpaw- Handsome black and white tom with

**Queens**

-Whitefoot- Pretty calico and white she-cat

-Thrushsong- pale gray tabby she-cat

**Elders**

-Hootyowl- Small black and white tom

-Morningpool- Long-haired white she-cat


	2. EarthClan Alligiances

EarthClan

**EarthClan**

_**Leader- **_Foxstar- Dark ginger and white tom

Apprentice, Reedpaw

_**Deputy- **_Silverfang- Pale gray tabby she-cat

_**Medicine Cat- **_Vinetail- Tortoiseshell she-cat

Apprentice, Treepaw

_**Warriors**_

-Swiftbrook- Gray and white she-cat

-Halftooth- Large brawny brown tabby tom

Apprentice, Barkpaw

-Duskpelt- Small long-haired jet black tom

Apprentice, Graypaw

-Cloudfur- Small white she-cat with green eyes

-Heatherpelt- Pale brown longhaired tabby she-cat

Apprentice, Thrushpaw

-Gingerfur- Huge ginger longhaired tabby tom

Apprentice, Crimsonpaw

-Tawnyflame- Handsome dark mottled brown tom

-Dapplepelt- Small tortoiseshell she-cat

_**Apprentices**_

-Reedpaw- Small black and white she-cat

-Treepaw- Beautiful dark brown she-cat

-Barkpaw- Dark brown and black tabby tom, Treepaw's brother

-Graypaw- Pale gray long-haired tom

-Crimsonpaw- Reddish-brown tom with a darker stripe down his back

-Thrushpaw- Small dark brown tabby she-cat with gray and white spots

_**Queens**_

-Feathercloud- Delicate creamy white she-cat

_**Elders**_

-Rocktooth- Gray brown grisly tom

-Snowstorm- Small long-haired old white she-cat

-Splashfoot- Black and white tom


	3. ForestClan Alligiances

ForestClan

**ForestClan**

_**Leader- **_Tornstar- Large longhaired brown and white tabby tom

Apprentice, Mudpaw

_**Deputy- **_Wildheart- Large dark gray tabby tom, Dawnpaw's father

Apprentice, Lionpaw

_**Medicine Cat- **_Bluepool- Small gray-blue she-cat

_**Warriors**_

-Littleflower- Small tortoiseshell she-cat

-Tawnytail- Handsome dark ginger tabby tom

Apprentice, Dawnpaw

-Silentbrook- Pretty silver tabby she-cat

Apprentice, Featherpaw

-Chatterstream- Pale gray tabby she-cat, Silentbrook's sister

Apprentice, Poisonpaw

-Ringtail- Dark brown and black tabby tom with a white face and chest

Apprentice, Flashpaw

-Ratclaw- Large, scarred gray tom

Apprentice, Ravenpaw

_**Apprentices**_

-Lionpaw- Large, longhaired golden tabby tom

-Ravenpaw- Sleek black tom with longhair

-Dawnpaw- Very pale gray tabby she-cat with black stripes

-Featherpaw- Beautiful amber eyed white she-cat

-Poisonpaw- Skinny, long legged black tom

-Flashpaw- Black and brown tabby tom, Poisonpaw's brother

_**Queens**_

-Darkflower- Small longhaired jet black she-cat

-Splashstone- Pale gray she-cat

_**Elders  
**_-Dustfeather- Pale brown she-cat


	4. StormClan Alligiances

StormClan

**StormClan**

_**Leader- **_Talonstar- Black and white tom

_**Deputy- **_Oakfoot- Very small longhaired dark brown tabby tom

_**Medicine Cat- **_Fogfur- Pale gray and white she-cat, blind from battle

Apprentice, Robinpaw

_**Warriors**_

-Russetfern- Dark ginger she-cat, blind in one eye

-Woodpelt- Large brown tabby tom with

-Dapplefur- Pretty, dark tortoiseshell she-cat, blue eyes

Apprentice, Cricketpaw

-Firewind- Longhaired ginger and white she-cat

Apprentice, Hazelpaw

-Wetfur- Small dark gray longhaired tom, amber eyes

-Mudfoot- Large brown and black tabby tom with a white chest

Apprentice, Rosepaw

-Fernwhisker- Pale gray tabby she-cat

Apprentice, Sunpaw

_**Apprentices**_

-Robinpaw- Brownish red she-cat

-Cricketpaw- Beautiful tortoiseshell and white she-cat, green eyes

-Hazelpaw- Very pale brown tabby she-cat

-Rosepaw- Longhaired black she-cat, amber eyes

-Sunpaw- Large ginger tabby tom

_**Queens**_

-Spottedpelt- Fluffy black and white she-cat

-Shadowstorm- Longhaired very dark gray she-cat

_**  
Elders**_

-Specklefeather- Pretty brown mottled she-cat

-Riverstone- Very old blue-gray tom, blind


	5. Prologue

**Prologue**

Tall, dark trees engulfed in the shadow of night surrounded a clearing with a huge oak in the center. No stars shone in the clear dark sky, but the moon hung low and bright just above the topmost branches of the oak. From the thick underbrush surrounding the clearing, a single cat emerged. Her fur was dappled in brilliant starlight, and muscles rippled down her body as she strode to the center of the clearing and rested next to the oak. More cats emerged from the underbrush, until the oak was surrounded by starry cat spirits. From the center of the crowd three cats, the she-cat that had first emerged, a brawny gray tom and a sleek brown tabby she-cat jumped up on one of the oak's twisted roots that protruded from the ground.

"Greetings, cats of StarClan," the first she-cat meowed, projecting her voice into the crowd. Her pelt was a pale brown, the color of freshly turned dirt. "We bring you to the Sacred Oak tonight without any representation from NightClan, because Stormstar, Foreststar and I feel that Nightstar would be better off not knowing what we are going to discuss."

Worried murmurs broke out among the cats in the crowd. One cat on the far edge of the clearing stood up. His pelt was ragged and fur hung off his sides in clumps. Long, deep wounds scarred his body.

"I know what problems the forest cats are facing, Earthstar," he rasped. "I was killed by a NightClan cat just recently, and still my wounds from that fateful battle bleed, even after I have joined your ranks in StarClan."

Stormstar, the huge gray tom, nodded. "You are one of many, Leapingflame," he meowed, his deep voice booming among the trees. "Earthstar, Foreststar and I have already come up with a solution to this problem."

The brown tabby she-cat, Foreststar, stepped forward. Her voice was smooth, like water bubbling over river rocks. "A cat will be sent down to each clan. These cats will have strengths like no normal cat, and will benefit the clans of Earth, Forest and Storm for seasons to come."

Earthstar stood up again, her starry brown pelt blazing. "The decrepit past of the three struggling clans shall be buried, and equality will be brought back to the forest!" She yowled, and the clearing erupted with yowls of joy and happiness. Earthstar, Stormstar and Foreststar jumped off the root, and disappeared into the underbrush, and the other cats in the clearing followed, as they whispered among each other about glorious days to come.

There was an eerie silence over the clearing after all the cats had left. The underbrush to one side rustled, breaking the calm of night. A jet black tom emerged from the bushes. His pelt was barely visible against the dark brush, and even the starlight around him barely lit up his dark fur. A low growl rumbled in his throat.

"They think they can fool me, Nightstar, first leader of NightClan? I will send NightClan their own help," he laughed deviously, as he turned back into the dark bushes. The clearing was once again deserted.


	6. Chapter One

Rainkit was the first of her siblings, Goldenkit and Laurelkit, to wake up

Rainkit was the first of her siblings, Goldenkit and Laurelkit, to wake up. It was past sunrise, and as she peered through the entrance of the nursery, she could see some of the NightClan warriors bustling about the camp. Darkstorm, the NightClan deputy stood talking to Timberheart, one of the senior warriors, while Emberheart and Breezepelt, the two youngest warriors, were talking and sharing freshkill as Blackpaw, Emberheart's new apprentice, was resting in the sunlight. A tremor of excitement passed through Rainkit. Today was the day she, Goldenkit and Laurelkit, her two siblings, were to be apprenticed! Rainpaw padded over to Goldenkit and prodded him on his side.

"Wake up, Goldenkit! Today's the day!" She mewed happily before turning to prod Laurelkit awake. Her brother and sister stretched and sat up.

"It's awfully early, Rainkit," Goldenkit yawned. "The ceremony isn't until well after sunhigh."

Rainkit just shook her fluffy pelt. "I don't care! Let's go play outside. Once we're apprentices, we won't be able to that much anymore."

"Let us come too," came a persistent meow from the opposite corner of the nursery. Cinderkit and Ashkit, Rainkit's two friends, came out from the shadows of the nursery. They weren't much younger than Rainkit herself, but Ceaderstar had insisted on having a separate apprentice ceremony for them. Rainkit greeted her friends with a cheery meow, and they all went outside into the camp clearing.

Rainkit began to circle Ashkit, her tail fluffed up from play fighting. Her friend's thick fur was fluffed up, making her look even larger than she already was. Suddenly she leaped at Rainkit, sending her tumbling away with immense force. Even with their claws sheathed, Cinderkit and Ashkit were a frightening shadow, working together as one. For a moment, Rainkit lay stunned on the ground with her breath knocked out of her. Ashkit ran over to her side after she saw what she had done.

"Rainkit! I'm so sorry! Are you all right?" She asked. Her words seemed to hang as fog in the cold air.

Rainkit shook her head to clear it up. "Yeah, I'm alright. That was some mighty jump! It'll be fun to play fight when we've learned some more techniques from our mentors." She meowed, sitting up. The sun had now risen just above the horizon, and the camp was busy with activity. The fresh-kill pile was dwindling, but Rainkit wasn't hungry. She was too excited to eat, but the play battle with Ashkit and Cinderkit had helped calm her excited nerves. She settled herself beside Laurelkit and began to wash. Ceaderstar, the NightClan leader, sat on the base of the Willow near her den, watching the five kits play.

"Ceaderstar has been watching us all afternoon," Rainkit remarked to Laurelkit. Her sister just shrugged.

"Well, isn't that part of her role as leader? She probably wants to see how we'll turn out when we're warriors."

Suddenly Rainkit wished that Cedarstar hadn't seen the attack from Ashkit that had sent her flying. Would Cedarstar think that she was weak? Wanting to prove herself to her leader, she stood up and strode over to where Cinderkit and Ashkit were gnawing on a thrush. Boldly Rainkit snagged the bird by her claw and flung it away from her friends. Ashkit and Cinderkit sprang at her, but Rainkit knew what was coming. She leaped out of the way, and her two friends rolled clumsily on the ground.

"Oh come on! After what happened to me this morning, I thought this would be harder!" She leaped at Cinderpaw, and jumped onto his back. As Ashpaw tried to bat Rainkit off her brother, Laurel paw and Goldenpaw pulled Ashkit's legs out from under her. Cinderkit grunted from the weight of Rainkit.

"Ok, you win! Now can we please have our thrush back?"

Rainkit stepped off of Cinderkit, and ran to fetch the thrush from where she had thrown it over by the nursery. She brought it back to where they were sitting. As her friends began to eat, Ceaderstar got up from where she sat and strode over to the group of young cats.

"I saw what you five did today," she meowed, her clear voice puffing in the cold. "Your forms were smooth, and the attacks well planed and thought out. You all will make great warriors of NightClan one day." She flicked her ear and looked up to the clear, cold, leafbare sky. It was a little past sunhigh. "Come now, it's time for your apprentice ceremony."

Rainkit felt a surge of pride and excitement. This was her time! Cederstar leaped onto the base of the Willow, and called out to the clan.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather for a clan meeting."

Thrushsong rushed out from the nursery and dashed towards Rainkit, Goldenkit and Laurelkit, and began frantically cleaning their ruffled pelts. She had raised the three siblings after their mother, Blueflower, had died in a battle when they weren't even a moon old. Rainkit puffed out her chest and proudly walked to the base of the Willow. Goldenkit's handsome pelt shone in the cold sun light, while Laurelkit trembled with excitement.

"Cats of NightClan, we gather to greet three new apprentices. Until the day they receive their warrior names, they will be known as Rainpaw, Goldenpaw and Laurelpaw."

Rainpaw squeaked with excitement. She stood proud before the clan she loved, and would give her life Cedarstar cleared her throat.

"Twistedtail, you are ready for your next apprentice. You are a loyal warrior to NightClan. I hope you pass on your wisdom to young Goldenpaw. Snowfur, Laurelpaw will be your first apprentice. I trust you to pass on your skills to her in your training. And finally, Timberheart, you are a strong warrior of NightClan. I know you will succeed in making a great warrior out of Rainpaw."

Rainpaw could barely suppress her happiness as she touched noses with her new mentor. Timberheart was a long respected warrior of NightClan, and Rainpaw was proud to be his apprentice.

"We will not train today," Timberheart meowed. "It is too late to get started, and I won't be able to show you the whole territory before nightfall. But early tomorrow morning, I will show you NightClan territory."

Rainpaw nodded. She was a bit disappointed that she would not have been able to start training that day, but she wouldn't let it ruin her spirits. Icefang came up to Rainpaw and licked her on the head.

"I'm so proud of you, Rainpaw," her uncle meowed. "You remind me so much of your mother when we were apprenticed."

"Thank you, Icefang. Blueflower was strong and loyal. I promise that I will try to live up to her standards," Rainpaw answered. Icefang chuckled, white clouds forming from his breath.

"You don't have to try, Rainpaw. Your mother is inside of you, in your heart." He stood up. "You should get some rest. It's a big day for you tomorrow."

Rainpaw stood and padded to the apprentices den. Goldenpaw and Laurelpaw had already settled down next to each other inside the den, and when Rainpaw walked in they didn't stir. Blackpaw, Emberheart's apprentice and the only apprentice of NightClan before today, was washing himself nearby. He looked up when he noticed Rainpaw.

"Congratulations, Rainpaw," he meowed. "It's nice to have more cats in the den now." He flicked his tail to an empty spot next to him. "You can sleep here, if you like."

Scooping together some fresh moss, she made a comfortable nest next to Blackpaw. It didn't take long until she was sleeping peacefully.


	7. Chapter Two

Cricketkit's paws kicked up storms of leaves and pine needles as she tore through the thick trees and underbrush. She didn't know what she was running from, and she didn't know where she was. A dark, starless night sky hung ominously over the shadow engulfed trees. Somewhere behind her, the thumping paw steps of her pursuer were gaining speed. Ahead of Cricketkit rose a steep, rocky hill. Launching her self up it, she dug her claws into the side of the hill and scrambled forward, sending little stones rolling down behind her. Her sides heaved as she reached the top of the slope. The sounds of pursuit behind her faded, and she turned to see if her attacker had retreated. A yowl of terror caught in her throat as she saw a silver tabby she-cat leaping towards her, claws digging into Cricketkit's throat as the enemy collided with her target…

Cricketkit's eyes fluttered open. She had torn up her soft pine bedding in her sleep, and needles dug into her paws where she had snagged them between her toes. She sat up and shook the needles from her paws and pelt.

"Watch it," came a teasing voice from the back of the den. Cricketkit's friend, Rosekit, emerged from the shadows, her sister Hazelkit following close behind. Her black pelt had been perfectly hidden in the back of the den, while Hazelkit's light brown fur hadn't been as successful. Sunlight shone through the thick brambles of the nursery. The den would have been covered with leaves during Greenleaf, but the bitter cold of Leafbare had left the cats in the nursery without their usual protective cover of leaves.

"You look like you just got back from rolling around in the woods, Cricketkit," Hazelkit purred. "Have those darn dreams been bothering you again?"

Cricketkit scowled. Last night hadn't been the first night she'd met the silver tabby attacker in her dreams, but the tabby cat had never been so close to her like she had in last nights dream.

"Well, maybe they'll stop after today. We'll all be in the apprentices' den after today, after all!" Rosekit meowed. Cricketkit's friends shivered in excitement, and Cricketkit felt a jolt of energy spasm through her body. Finally, she was going to be an apprentice!

"Come on, we'll never become apprentices if we stand around talking about our dreams all day," Cricketkit mewed as she led the way out of the den. The StormClan camp was busy with activity. Sunlight beat of the large boulders that surrounded all of the camp, providing the only source of warmth in the whole territory. Oakfoot, the clan deputy, was giving orders to warriors, his deep voice booming around the hollow. The two elders, Riverstone and Specklefeather, groomed each other while basking on the sun warmed boulders.

"Russetfern!" Oakfoot meowed loudly. The ginger warrior looked up from where she was picking through the dwindling fresh-kill pile. Cricketwing's stomach turned when she saw the pitiful amount of prey left. StormClan was probably having most troubles getting through the terrible leafbare.

"Lead a hunting patrol out. Sweep across the ForestClan border too, while you're at it. I don't have enough cats to send out two full patrols." Oakfoot ordered. Russetfern dipped her head and beckoned to Wetfur, Dapplefur and Firewind.

"Wait," Oakfoot meowed before the patrol left. "Talonstar should be returning from his patrol soon. He has some important announcements to make."

Cricketkit trembled with excitement. Talonstar was going to announce their mentors as soon as he returned from his patrol! Her stomach growled in protest when she stood up from where she had been sitting with Rosekit and Hazelkit outside the nursery. She had forgotten how hungry she was.

"I'm starving too," Hazelkit meowed, obviously hearing Cricketkit's stomach. "Let's get something to eat". Rosekit and Hazelkit both stood up. Cricketkit wanted to follow, but something stopped her.

"But the fresh-kill pile's so low," she pointed out. "It's Leafbare, and I think it's more important that the warriors eat first, after all, they are the ones who protect and feed the clan."

Hazelkit and Rosekit stopped. "I never thought of it that way," Rosekit murmured.

"Maybe we should ask Oakfoot," Hazelkit suggested, but before Cricketkit could reply, the ferns that marked the entrance to the camp trembled, and Talonstar emerged from the bushes, Fernwhisker and her apprentice, Sunpaw, following. His black and white pelt glimmered in the sunlight. He exchanged words with Oakfoot, and then jumped on the smooth, gray boulder that Oakfoot sat next to.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the High Stone for a clan meeting," Talonstar yowled as cats began pressing forward to sit in the clearing. Fogfur, StormClan's medicine cat, emerged from the stone cave behind the pool that marked the medicine cat's den. She stepped through the crowd until she sat in her usual spot next to her apprentice, Robinpaw, beneath the High Stone. Cricketkit began quickly washing herself in smooth, long strokes with her tongue to get out any of the pine needles that may still be caught in her fur. Rosekit and Hazelkit did the same, making sure their pelts looked apprentice worthy.

Talonstar cleared his throat, and the clearing fell into silence. The sun was just reaching sunhigh.

"Cats of StormClan, you all know this Leafbare has been hard for all four clans. I am happy to say that today we shall welcome three new apprentices." He beckoned Cricketkit, Rosekit and Hazelkit forward with his tail. Obediently, she weaved her way through the warriors to stand in front of the High Stone.

"Cricketkit, Rosekit and Hazelkit, from this day on, until you earn your warrior names, you will be known as Cricketpaw, Rosepaw and Hazelpaw." Cricketpaw couldn't help but notice that Talonstar's green eyes were locked on her the whole time, but his face did not give away what he was thinking.

"Firewind," he snapped his gaze up from Cricketpaw to the spotted ginger warrior. "You were taught well by our deputy, Oakfoot. I hope you pass on all you have learned to Hazelpaw." Firewind dipped her head and touched noses with Hazelpaw.

"Mudfoot, you are strong and loyal. I hope you pass on all your wisdom to young Rosepaw." Rosepaw's long black tail twitched with excitement when she and her new mentor touched noses.

"Dapplefur," Talonstar called his mate, the unusual, beautiful tortoiseshell forward. "You have seasons of wisdom and experience behind you. I trust you pass on all you wisdom to Cricketpaw."

Dapplefur stepped forward until she stood in front of Cricketpaw. She lowered her head down, and Cricketpaw respectively touched noses with her new mentor.


	8. Chapter Three

Crimsonpaw blinked open his eyes in the early morning leafbare sunlight. Beside him, his den mate, Reedpaw, stirred. She yawned, sat up and began grooming her ruffled chest fur.

"Morning already?" Crimsonpaw whined, flipping over on his back. Gingerfur wouldn't appreciate it if Crimsonpaw was late, but it wasn't like Gingerfur even liked him in the first place. Reedpaw seemed to be the only apprentice that respected him in all of EarthClan, along with only a handful of the warriors.

"Aw come on," Reedpaw meowed sympathetically. "Training will probably be fun once we start! Gingerfur can't hate you for too long, after all, if he wants to become deputy."

Crimsonpaw flipped back onto his belly and stretched his paws out in front of him. "Fine, I'll get up. But Gingerfur knows that Silverfang isn't going to drop dead out of thin air, and he'll probably take advantage of the time he has to torture me." He growled standing up and walking out of the den. Silverfang, the clan deputy, was one of the few warriors that actually accepted Crimsonpaw.

Frost glittered on the lower half of the camp, where some of the clan cats were just coming out of the warriors' den. The EarthClan camp was divided into two sections by a small rocky ledge. The lower half consisted of the warriors' den, medicine cat's den and a pile of rocks that led to the second level, where the apprentices and elders slept near the nursery and a lone pine where Foxstar slept. Near the slope that marked the edge of the camp on the lower half, Gingerfur, Crimsonpaw's mentor, and Silverfang sat. Gingerfur's pelt was fluffed from the cold wind, making him look even bigger than he already was.

"Silverfang, if Crimsonpaw doesn't get down here soon, I'm leaving without him," Gingerfur growled loudly, towering over the clan deputy, who looked like just a rock in the path before him.

"Gingerfur, you've had many successful apprentices, and I've never seen you act like this. Give him time, he's just been introduced to apprenticeship, and clan life, for that matter." Silverfang meowed, her voice as cold as the Leafbare morning. Crimsonpaw bounded down the rock slope that connected the two levels of the camp.

"I'm here, Gingerfur," he meowed, no sense of warmth or excitement in his voice. If Gingerfur wasn't going to be kind to his new apprentice, Crimsonpaw had no reason to be kind to his mentor. Gingerfur stood up, towering over Crimsonpaw.

"Reedpaw," Silverfang meowed, addressing the apprentice who had followed Crimsonpaw down to the entrance of the camp. "Foxstar is waiting for you just outside the camp. He wants you out there as soon as possible, but if you're hungry, you can eat." Excitement lit up in Reedpaw's eyes, and without answering the deputy, she sped out of the camp down the stony slope through the brush. Gingerfur flicked his tail, a sign that meant Crimsonpaw should follow, as he followed Reedpaw down the slope and through the tunnel in the brush. Crimsonpaw's fur snagged on the thorns as his broad shoulders scraped against the bushes. Gingerfur was taller than Crimsonpaw, but his shoulders didn't come close to scraping the edge of the brush like Crimsonpaw's.

The tall grass waved in the cold breeze as Crimsonpaw and Gingerfur trudged through it. Small, windblown bushes and brambles dotted the whole territory, with an occasional small, bare tree. They headed in the same direction as they did when they left the camp, and soon Crimsonpaw was aware of the sound of running water. Before long they came across a small stream that bubbled swiftly through the grass.

"This is the only source of water in all of EarthClan territory," Gingerfur said. "Without it, EarthClan would have no way of survival." He bent his head down to the glistening water and drank. "If the stream gets any lower than its usual banks, warriors are to report it to Foxstar immediately."

Crimsonpaw did the same as his mentor, and drank some of the cool stream water. The cold stung his throat, but if he and Gingerfur were going to trace the whole territory, Crimsonpaw didn't want to be thirsty. "What would Foxstar do if the stream did dry up during Greenleaf?" Crimsonpaw asked, curious.

"I don't know. I'm not clan leader," Gingerfur growled, then jumped over the stream in one bound.

Crimsonpaw gathered his legs for the leap, and then thrust himself forward, but his hind paw had gotten tangled in the long grass, careening him into the cold stream. He desperately tried to pull himself to the shore, but the current pushing him further away from where his paws were trying to reach. Suddenly, he felt teeth meet his scruff, and Gingerfur hauled him out of the water.

"What were you thinking!?" Gingerfur hissed. "You should have waited for me to tell you what to do, instead of jumping head first into the water!"

Crimsonpaw shivered, his pelt weighed down by the freezing water. "S-so-rr-ry," he mumbled, his teeth chattering. They were back on the side of the stream they had started on. Crimsonpaw stood up, shivering on his paws, and tried to shake most the water off his pelt before it turned to ice in the frigid weather.

"Hey! Watch it!" Gingerfur growled as some of the water hit him. "I don't want to be an icicle!" He stood up and trudged on, the opposite direction from the stream. "Hurry up, we'll just have to cover that part of the territory tomorrow."

Still shivering, Crimsonpaw followed. His feet seemed to be screaming in protest, as each step sent shivers along his spine. He didn't want to seem weak to his mentor on the first day, so he kept quiet. Gingerfur lead him through the tangles of bramble and brush for what seemed like ages to Crimsonpaw. The tips of his whiskers had frozen, and his fur wasn't completely dry. Finally, they reached the top of a steep, rocky hill. Below them stretched leafy green trees and dark pines.

"This is the border of EarthClan territory," Gingerfur explained. "In front of us is StormClan territory, and south from them is ForestClan." He flicked his tail back to the direction of the stream. "The ledge continues on out of clan territory. When you reach the waterfall, which is the edge of StormClan territory, you would reach our border with NightClan, who are also to the south." He led Crimsonpaw in the opposite direction of the stream, along the border. Occasionally, he stopped to make his mark on the ledge. Crimsonpaw noticed that they were heading downhill, and the slope was getting smaller, until there was no slope at all.

"Here the border is marked by where the field grass ends and the forest starts. Up ahead of us is a twoleg path, which marks the last part of the border." Gingerfur meowed. He made a sidelong glance at the shivering Crimsonpaw. "Let's head back to camp. We'll have Vinetail assess your stupidity," he sneered.

Vinetail was the EarthClan medicine cat. Without arguing, Crimsonpaw nodded and followed Gingerfur away from the border. This part of EarthClan territory, near the border with StormClan, had more trees than the rest of the territory. Crimsonpaw shivered, as the shade made it even colder than usual. _How can they stand the shade in the middle of Leafbare_, he thought. EarthClan's territory was obviously the least forested of all the territories.

They reached the camp just before sunset. The water that still clung to Crimsonpaw's pelt now froze in clumps, and he couldn't feel his paw, which had been numbed by the cold. Exhausted, he made a straight line for the medicine cat den, which was a small hollow in the rocky ledge on the lower half of the camp. A small tree grew beside couple of stones next to it, and empty moss beds sat at the base of the tree and next to the rocks. He flopped down in one of them near the entrance. A small voice came from the inside of the den.

"Rocktooth? Is that you," the voice meowed, addressing one of the EarthClan elders. Treepaw, the beautiful medicine cat apprentice, appeared from the den. She gasped when she say Crimsonpaw. "Crimsonpaw! What happened? I'll be right back, Vinetail's collecting herbs right now so it's only me," she meowed as she disappeared into the den, and came out with a bundle of herbs clutched in her jaws. Crimsonpaw was aware that Gingerfur was sitting nearby, talking to Silverfang, who, by the looks of it, did not seem happy.

"Eat this, Crimsonpaw," Treepaw urged, bushing some herbs toward him. He managed to swallow the bitter herbs, but the terrible taste still hung in his mouth. By now more clan cats had come out of their dens to see what was going on.

"Crimsonpaw," came a voice beside him. It was Reedpaw. "Oh Crimsonpaw, you're just ice! It'll be okay, I'll warm you up," she meowed as she lay down beside him and began grooming his ruffled fur. The slow, long rasps of her tongue did warm him up, and soon he was fast asleep.


End file.
